False Pretences
by Just One
Summary: ShikaSaku Oneshot. There was a great deal of sneaking involved, but then again. They were ninja. They used excuses such as taijutsu practice, filing mission reports or lack of better company. They liked to be close.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto - Naruto belongs to Kishimoto-sensei. I do own the plotline of this story. **

**Author's Note: ShikaSaku One-shot! I am getting rather fond of this pairing, the same gos for NaruIno. ShikaIno is still my fave though... Anyhow, this is a little drabble-ish creation not really worth posting, but I feel the need to put up some ShikaSaku. I actually think they would work quite well together. My inspiration for this story has been my insane friend Jason, who is sort of cracked. Silly little childish crackpot stoner. But he inspires me, so that's alright!**

**Read and Review, Onegai!**

**-xx- Nika-chan**

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Adjusting her small form in his arms, Shikamaru continued to leap from tree to tree. This was troublesome.

It had been a foolish move. She didn't have to go close combat on their enemy, wasting her chakra on throwing dangerous punches at the blue-haired man they had been fighting. He was known as Nenoko. Nenoko-san had been a minion of Orochimaru under the spell of a genjutsu user who recently joined said Sannin's legions, and Tsunade had been extremely intent on getting rid of this threath before the young man did anymore damage. From lack of anyone with a higher rank, or a big group of low-ranked ninjas, the Godiame had instead opted to send the only Chuunin left who was capable of leading a team, squad or duo mission, and send along her apprentice.

He didn't question their village's leader's decisions to send Sakura into battle. Even if her speciality was healing and that's what she did best, her chakra control was amazing, combat skills just above average and combined with his own abilites, they made a good team.

He did, however, question Sakura's decision to attack the man on her own, wasting precious time and energy, after he had made a taunting remark on her old Uchiha teammate. He understood though. She had been a wreck after the boy she had loved left the village and herself, he had been there for her when Naruto had been away to retrieve their missing teammate. When Naruto failed, she had been even more devastated. It had hurt him to see her like this. He suspected this was how it all got started. These feelings in the pit of his stomach when he gazed down on her lithe form perched comfortably against his chest as he enfolded her in a warm embrace, he wasn't unfamiliar with them.

He didn't like to be in love; it made him feel vulnerable. She made him feel stupid. In spite of his qualities as a ninja, his intelligence and analytical abilities, he knew nothing of what to do when she was around, what to say or keep silent, ask or answer, whether to let go or hold on. It was confusing, and he didn't like it. He needed insurance, he needed the one thing that he would be coming home to each and every day to be like a rock to him; steady in the weary life he led. She was no rock Sakura was a swirling well filled to the top with emotions, a vulcano that could errupt within a matter of seconds if provoked. She was a little wreck, scared and brave and steady and lost within and loving yet malicious, carefree and dangerous and all the while sad yet cheerful. Not something to depend on, not what he had planned for himself, not who he would have thought himself to end up with. Not what he needed.

Yet she was everything he wanted these days.

The soft smile on her lips made him smile as well. He slowed his pace; they were not expected in Konoha for another day and a half. They could relax, lay back, take it easy and recover. He liked that idea. He also liked the idea of holding her half-conscious body close under false pretences. He had seen her heal her ankle when she suspected him to be sleeping, and yet the pink-haired girl had not argued when he'd made a move to scoop her in his arms that morning. Both knew she was in good enough a condition to leap trees with the help of her immense chakra, but both also knew it was much more comfortable to pretend. They didn't get that much excuses to be close, and it ment taking whatever chance there was.

Love was incredously complicated when one got involved with a girl like Sakura, Shikamaru had found out a while ago.

But then again. He didn't care.

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**Click the pretty button, come on!**


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